Another protest is planned by International Boxing Association supporters before the IOC Executive Board meeting in Lausanne in an effort to help save the sport's place on the Olympic programme ©ITG

Members of the boxing community are set to hold a protest in Lausanne tomorrow to coincide with a three-day International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board meeting where the sport’s future on the Olympic programme is likely to be discussed.

Organised under the heading Stand for Boxing, the peaceful demonstration is set to take place outside Olympic House, venue of the IOC Executive Board meeting, at 11am CET, before moving on to the Olympic Museum at 2pm CET.

In a note outlining plans for the demonstration organisers say: "We are all witnesses of the profound transformation undergone by the International Boxing Association (IBA) during the past two years on the road to compliance with the best international practices.

"It is high time this progress is recognised by the IOC.

"It is high time that the decisions on the future of boxing are made based on close cooperation and open discussions with the IBA and boxing community."

A similar protest, led by former world boxing champion Roy Jones Jr from the United States, was held in December 2022 to coincide with an IOC Executive Board meeting with around 80 athletes and coaches attending to show their support.


Roy Jones Jr was present the last time there was a peaceful protest outside the IOC headquarters in Lausanne in December ©ITG
Roy Jones Jr was present the last time there was a peaceful protest outside the IOC headquarters in Lausanne in December ©ITG


IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said that at the time that some of the demonstrators spoke with IOC representatives and that "a very constructive discussion took place."

The protestors want the IOC to readmit boxing, governed by the IBA, for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The sport has been left off the initial programme because of concerns surrounding the organisation’s governance.

Relations between the IOC and IBA have shown no signs of improving in the run-up to the IOC Executive Board meeting, with the IBA publishing an open letter yesterday threatening legal action against the IOC after it invited competition officials to serve at Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying, and the boxing tournament itself.

Boxing at Paris 2024 is set to be managed by the IOC, as was the case at Tokyo 2020.

On the opening day of its Executive Board meeting today, the IOC issued recommendations to International Federations that individual Russian and Belarusian athletes could return to international sporting competitions.

This is under conditions of strict neutrality and providing that the athletes do not show they are actively supporting the invasion of Ukraine.

This recommendation only applies to individual athletes, with Russians and Belarusians not allowed to compete in team sports and events.

Russian boxers were allowed to compete under their country's flag at the recent IBA Women's World Championships, in contradiction with recommendations issued by the IOC today ©IBA
Russian boxers were allowed to compete under their country's flag at the recent IBA Women's World Championships, in contradiction with recommendations issued by the IOC today ©IBA

At its Women’s World Championships, which concluded in New Delhi on Sunday (March 26) the IBA permitted Russian athletes to compete under their own flag.

The nation finished the tournament with one gold, one silver and one bronze medal.

The Championships were boycotted by multiple countries due to concerns surrounding the IBA’s governance and the fact that Russian athletes were allowed to compete under their own flag, in contradiction to any IOC guidance.

insidethegames has contacted the IBA for a comment on the IOC’s latest guidance regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.